The Morning After
by Damion Starr
Summary: Aiden and John talk the morning after... (Slash: Shepford)


The Morning After

Author's Note: Slash: Shep/Ford, very fluffy. You've been warned!

Disclaimer: Stargate: Atlantis is not mine.

Major John Sheppard slowly oozed into the waking world. For a brief moment, he thought that the night before had been a dream, but then he felt the warm, solid form spooned against him, and he couldn't help but smile. Aiden Ford shifted slightly in his sleep, then settled back against John with a sigh. Sheppard gently kissed the back of his bedmate's neck, then began a line of kisses up the younger man's shoulder. Aiden smiled and turned his face back toward John.

"Mornin'," He mumbled sleepily without opening his eyes.

"Morning," John answered, placing a kiss on his lieutenant's cheekbone, just below the eye, where his flawless skin was marred by a small, round scar.

"You really like that scar, don't you?" Aiden joked with a smile, finally opening his eyes.

"I like it because it's a reminder," John responded, propping himself up with one elbow while his free hand stroked his lover's flat stomach soothingly.

"A reminder of what?" Aiden rolled over onto his back so he could look at John's face more comfortably.

"That every minute of every day, we're in danger. Whether we're here, or on another planet, our lives are on the line, so we have to live with no regrets,"

Aiden considered this for a moment. "Do you have any regrets?" He asked carefully. John smiled affectionately at him.

"None,"

Aiden smiled, trying, in vain, to hide his relief. John leaned down and softly kissed his lieutenant's lips to help assuage any lingering doubts.

"What should we do now?" Ford asked when their kiss broke.

"About what?" John began playing with Aiden's hand, interlacing his fingers with the younger man's own.

"About this. About us. We'll only be able to keep this a secret for so long, and I don't think our friends would appreciate being kept out of the loop,"

John sighed and considered this for a moment, still caressing Aiden's hand with his. "Well, we should tell McKay and Teyla, since they are our teammates. Athosians, apparently, highly value all forms of relationships, and she has been sort of bugging me to talk to you,"

"McKay probably won't, you know, bitch to the wrong people, since he's got that thing with Dr. Beckett going," Aiden added.

"Oh, yeah, we should tell Carson so he doesn't feel hurt that he didn't hear it from us,"

"And I think that Dr. Weir would want to know," John nodded.

"Okay, so we have to talk to Teyla, McKay, Beckett and Liz," Sheppard listed off.

"Yep," Aiden agreed.

"Oh, man, we'll have a lot of explaining to do," John groaned, burying his face in Aiden's shoulder.

"Yeah, but if we get it over with, then maybe we can talk Weir into letting us take out a Puddle Jumper," John looked up. "You know, just the two of us, a whole weekend, out of radio range," Aiden trailed off, his point clear. Both smiled.

"I've corrupted you,"

"Not anymore than I already was," Ford replied with a shrug. They laughed and kissed, but their peaceful morning was interuppted by a knock at the door.

"Major? Sir?"

John rolled his eyes, irritated at the interupption. "What?" He barked.

"Uh, sorry to wake you, but Dr. Weir wants to see you," The soldier on the other side of the door answered, his voice shaking a little.

"Tell her I'm not here!"

"S-Sir?"

"You heard me!"

There was a pause, then the soldier's running footsteps. "That was mean," Aiden finally said, trying hard not to smile.

"What?" John faked innocence. "I was having a very nice morning before he showed up,"

"Well, this nice morning doesn't have to end, does it?" Aiden gave his lover his mega-watt smile. "I mean, no one knows we're here," John smiled and kissed him.

"You read my mind,"

Both men laid back on their sides and John pulled Aiden's body to his, draping a protective arm over him. They laid in silence for a long time, pretending to be asleep when, in fact, they were listening to each others' breathing.

"John?" Aiden finally whispered.

"Mm-hmm?"

"...Nothing. Never mind,"

John knew what Aiden was going to say. It was something they had been putting off for about a month, ever since they finally confessed their mutual attraction and shared their first kiss. Their hesitation to say, you know, the "L" word at first was understandable, but now...

"Aiden?" John whispered for reasons even he didn't understand.

"Yeah?"

John moved his hand up Aiden's arm and interlaced his fingers with the younger man's own. "I love you,"

Aiden smiled, even though John couldn't see it. "I love you, too," John smiled as well, and the two finally settled in to sleep.


End file.
